Zipline Brewing giving free beer to furloughed workers

Zipline Brewing Company is giving free 64–ounce bottles of beer to furloughed federal employees every Friday.

Friday, January 11th 2019, 10:32 PM CST by Joe Harris

On Friday, Zipline Brewing Company gave free 64–ounce bottles of beer -- or growlers -- to furloughed federal employees.

"This gives a chance for people to come in, grab a growler to go home, try to take their mind off what's going on and relax a little bit," Co-founder Tom Wilmoth said.

The gesture was not lost on federal workers.

"It's nice to know that people do feel for us and realize that it is out of our control," said one who wanted to remain nameless.

She said she got her last check two weeks ago and would've gotten paid today if not for the government shutdown.

Still, she said she feels worse for the people her agency serves.

"We make grants and loans to rural communities in Nebraska," she said. "So those people who were in the middle of the process — in the middle of buying a home — all of a sudden, we're not there. The deal falls through."

She said that will give such agencies a black eye and that she hopes it'll open back up next week.

Wilmoth said he understands what they're going through.

"Twenty years ago today, I was a federal employee with a pregnant wife," he said. "And if I missed a paycheck, it would've been a big deal."

Zipline says they plan to have the free growlers for furloughed workers every Friday until the shutdown is over.